University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB)

Professor
Division of Infectious Diseases
Clinical Director; AETC-UTMB

Dr. Keiser primary interest is in the care and treatment of HIV and its related infections. He has been actively treating HIV infected individuals for over 20 years. He is the Chairman of the Texas AIDS Drug Assistance Program Advisory Board in the Principal Investigator for the Texas Oklahoma AIDS Education Center. Dr Keiser has been actively involved in HIV clinical research and has been an investigator in over 50 clinical trials.

Since 2006, Dr Keiser has been involved in the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and has been involved in HIV clinical care, teaching and research in Kenya. He has an active clinical research program that is centered on the outcomes of patients treated with anti-retroviral medications in Central Kenya.

Premal Patel, MD, MSc, FACP

Department of Internal Medicine

Clinical Director & PTP Co-Lead, AETC-UTMB

Dr. Patel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and is a board-certified Internal Medicine Physician. She earned an M.D. degree from UTMB and completed her Residency and Internship from the Warren Alpert School of Brown University. She holds a master’s degree in Human Rights from the London School of Economics. She has also received accreditation though the American Academy of HIV Medicine as an HIV Specialist.

Prior to UTMB, Dr. Patel served as an internist in the Pediatric AIDS Corps in Gaborone, Botswana through the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative and Baylor College of Medicine where she cared for people living with HIV, taught learners, performed research and engaged in global health capacity building.

Upon joining UTMB, she became the Associate Director of the Global Health Education Program and co-coordinator of the Global Health Inter-Professional Core Course. During her tenure, she has led multiple innovations in medical education as she has a passion for training the next generation of physicians. In 2014, she was invited to take a leadership position in the Student Continuity of Practice Experience (SCOPE) program, which was designed to stimulate interest in primary care among medical students.

As UTMB was awarded Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) funding to augment and enhance primary care education, Dr. Patel also became the inaugural Medical Director for the Texas Excellence in Academic Medicine Clinic (aka TEAM or Community Adult Clinic). This clinical and educational leadership position allowed her to create a patient and education-centered medical home that bridged the divide between the academic and clinical enterprises. The TEAM clinic became a hub for interprofessional education and practice where students from occupational therapy, clinical lab science, physician assistant, nursing, medicine and dietetics could learn from and work with one another. 

In 2019, Dr. Patel co-created a brand new 1st year SOM course for medical students called Mindfully Evolving Thriving & Advocating (META)- a one of a kind course built on the foundations of exposing students to cultural humility, clinical skills, wellness and learning.

Dr. Patel has contributed significantly to the academic community through her work as a clinician-educator. Her work in HIV and primary care has earned several high-level teaching awards. In 2016 she was inducted into the John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine and selected for Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA). She has contributed to academic scholarship by publishing several peer-reviewed publications and authoring numerous presentations at regional, national and international conferences.

Dr. Patel cares for patients on the General Medicine wards, in the HIV clinic and at the Coastal Health and Wellness County Clinic.

Her professional mission is to advocate for vulnerable populations, immunize learners against the hidden curriculum and promote social justice and equity. 

Tomiko Fisher, MBA 

Program Manager, AETC-UTMB, Texas AHEC East

Tomiko Fisher developed an early passion for health disparities while serving as an AmeriCorps volunteer. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and a Master of Business Administration. Tomiko’s professional background includes community-based/nonprofit organizations, workforce development programs, educational institutions, and healthcare. She joined the Texas AHEC East Program Office during November of 2020 and deems this opportunity as a “marriage” of her love for science and business acumen. Compassion, curiosity, and courage are words that describe Tomiko’s approach to assisting medically underserved and rural communities throughout East Texas. She is responsible for personnel, operational, and financial management of Texas AHEC East to help ensure the delivery of competent, customer-focused, and efficient services for our stakeholders. Tomiko uses her extensive grant and project management experience to assist with administrative and operational needs for UTMB and our regional centers. She enjoys Texas’ sunshine and its diverse culture.